Weatherproof rail stand for track scales



J. W. ORROCK WEATHERPROOF RAIL STAND FOR TRACK SCALES Feb. 23 1926.

Filed May 4, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 JWOI'I'OOE,

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Feb. 23', 1926. 1,573,853

J. W. ORROC K WEATHERPROOF RAIL STAND FOR TRACK SCALES Filed May 4, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3M mT-Ess5s.-- L Q L]: "formal, v

- Feb. 23 1926. 1,573,853

J. W. ORROCK WEATHERPROOF RAIL STAND FOR TRACK SCALES Filed May 4, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

UNITED I STATES JOHN WILSON ORROCK, 0F MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

WEATHERPROOF RAIL STAND FOR TRACK SCALES.

Application filed May 4, 1925.

To all whom may concern."

Be itknown that I, JOHN VILSON ORROCK, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Montreal, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVeatherproof Rail Stands for Track Scales, of which the following is a. specification.

This invention relates: to weatherproof rail stands for protecting the scale mechanism within the scale pit from weather conditions.

To that end the invention contemplates a novel cover for use in connection with rail stands of the ventilating type, and has primarily in view a cover construction which provides maximumaccessibility to the rail stand thereby to permit of easy inspection of the rail stand and rail fastenings thereon. That is to say, the present invention has for itsprincipal object a simple and practical construction for exposing more of the rail stand than is possible with the present types of weather covers, by providing a construction wherein the cover is movably mounted to open away from the rail in such av way as to give the full benefit of the space between. the upper edge of the flashing carried by the deck and the bottom of the rail base.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction including mow ably inoun ed cover sections which so arranged as to avoid interference with the flashing thereby to provide for free movement of the scale mechanism without danger of any con-tact occurring between the weighing mechanism and the deck.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the 1121-- ture of the invent-ion is better understood,

the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a detail perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the improved form of weather cover.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, partly in section.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Serial No. 27,895.

Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the line %i of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of a modified type of weather cover.

. Figure 6 is a. horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 5.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

T he present weatherproof rail stand structure possesses special utility in connection with weather covers or decks for track scales of the type set; forth in my former Patents 1,335,599, March 30, 1920 and 1,426,003, August 15, 1922. The introduction and use of the tapered deck with the rails raised for free drainage toward the side edges of the deck, and individual protected weatherproof rail stands brought about amaterial improvement in the housing of track scales, and the present invention directed to a further development of the weatherproof construction for individual rail stands, whereby to improve the same from the standpoint of inspection purposes.

In carrying the present invention into effect it is proposed to utilize the same in connection with a self draining deck designated generally as D and having therein the opening E surrounded by an upstanding flashing F having the attaching flange 1 adapted to be covered by the deck material 2 to provide a water-tight joint between the flashing and the deck or cover. This fiashing may be round or square as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings for example, and extends upwardly about the rail stand pedestal 3 thereby to effectually prevent water and the like on the surface of the deck from draining into the pit. The said pedestal 3 is provided with the rail supporting platform or top 4t for carrying the rail R in the usual manner, the same being held to the stand by means of the fastening clips 5 or their equivalent.

Cooperating with the flashing F is a novel cover unit designated generally as C, the same being supported above and about the flashing in such a way as to be out of contact therewith and provide adequate space for assisting in the free circulation of air currents to and from the pit thereby to provide adequate ventilation which is an essential feature of a cover of this type to prevent undue condensation of moisture likely to collect on the scale mechanism.

One of the distinctive features of the cover unit 0 is to provide the hinged cover sections 6 and 7 which are pivotally mounted or hinged so as to move outwardly or away from the rail and rail stand thereby to permit maximum accessibility to the rail fastenings and rail stand for inspection purposes. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 the said cover unit is preferably of rectangular form and each of the cover sections 6 and 7 is provided with the water-shed top surface and depending skirt portion at its outer end while the sides are formed with depending flange portions a which are pivotally connected as indicated at 8 with the side wall forming members 9. Thus, the sections 6 and 7 cooperate with the flashing F to provide full protection for the openings in the deck through which the rail stands pro- 'ect. 1 The said side wall members 9 are preferably carried by the base flanges of the rails R, and to that end any suitable and convenient means may be utilized.

However, for the purposes of illustration it will be observed from the drawings that in the construction shown the said side wall members 9 are recessed as indicated at 10 to receive the base of the rail, and are also provided with the struck-out ofl'set ears 11 which are perforated to receive a clamping bolt 12 (see Figure 4). This clamping bolt is preferably formed at one end with a hook 13 for engaging over the inclined base flange of the rail, while its opposite end is threaded and fitted with a nut as shown at it thereby to push the clip 15 over the inclined upper surface of the opposite base flange of the rail. A supporting and attaching bolt 12 is provided for each of the side walls 9 so that each of the side walls 9 is equipped with rail base engaging means for supporting the cover unit from the rail at the position of the rail stand.

Vith the arrangement shown it will be apparent that the cover sections 6 and 7 may be readily swung to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3 thereby to expose the entire upper end of the rail stand and also permitmaximum access to the portions of the rail fastening clips located at the underside of the top 4 of the stand 3. On the other hand when the cover sections 6 and 7 are in the full line position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 the inner edges of said sections engage with the web of the rail R thereby to effectually house and pro tect all of the rail stand and rail mounting.

As previously indicated, however, one of the distinctive features of the invention resides in the provision of a cover unit comprising hinged cover sections adapted to open away or outwardly from the position of the rail stand. Accordingly, with a view to illustrating the range of modification of the present improvement, reference may be had to Figures 5 and G of the drawings which illustrate a modified form of construction.

From Figures 5 and 6 it will be observed that the hinged sectional cover unit C is carried by the rail stand 8 and surrounds the upstanding end of the flashing F to provide an overlapping weatherproof joint between the rail stand and the scale deck. The said cover unit C includes the cover sections 6 and 7 which are pivotally connected by the hinges 8 with the relatively stationary plate 9 carried by the top or platform 4 of the rail stand. As shown in Figure 5 the said top t of the rail stand is recessed or undercut as shown at 4 thereby to provide a portion which overhangs the sections 6 and 7 and also the plate 9 thereby to provide in effect an caves portion which overhangs the cover sections. The free ends of the cover sections 6 and 7 preferably come into meeting relation at a point beneath the rail R opposite the plate 9 as clearly shown in Figure 6, and the said members may be held together by means of any suitable and convenient fastening, such for example as the spring catch 16 carried by one of the sections and having a keeper portion cooperating with a keeper opening 17 in the adjacent section.

lVith the arrangement shown in the modified form of construction shown in Figures 5 and 6 it will be clear that the hinged cover sections (3 and 7' may be readily swung outwardly to expose the entire upper end of the rail stand and the upper edge of the flashing F. Thus, in this form of the invention, as well as in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to L inclusive, the feature of providing hinged sections opening away from the rail stand is adhered to so that the construction may be adapted to deck openings of the square or round type with equal facility. In each instance the primary object of obtaining maximum accessibility to the rail stand is attained.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, function and advantages of the herein described rail stand will be readily apparent and without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a weatherproof rail stand for track scales, the combination with the deck structure having an opening therein, and a rail stand pedestal projecting through said open ing, of a flashing circumferentially surrounding the opening, and a cover unit supported above and surroundingsaid flashing and including members adapted to be moved laterally and outwardly away from the rail stand.

2. In a weatherproof rail stand for track scales the combination with the deck structure for the scale pit having an opening therein and a rail stand projecting through said opening, of cover unit for said opening including a pair of hinged cover sections mounted to swing outwardly away from the rail stand at opposite sides thereof.

In a weatherproof rail stand for track scales, the combination with the deck structure having an opening and a rail stand provided through the opening, of a flashing surrounding said opening, and a cover unit including a pair of complemental corer sections, a support, means for pivotally connecting said cover sections to the support whereby either may move independently of the other away from and to ard the rail stand thereby to cover and uncover the portion of the rail stand above the flashing,

l. In a weatherproof rail stand for track scales, the combination with the deck structure having an opening therein, a rail stand projecting through said opening, of a flashing surrounding the opening, and a support carried by the rail, and e Yer sections pivotally connected to said support and adapted to be moved outwardly away from said rail to expose the upper end of the rail stand.

5. In a weatherproof rail stand for track scales, the combination with the deck structure having an opening therein, and a rail stand projecting through said opening, of a flashing surrounding the opening and a support carried by the rails and comprising side wall forming members, means for attaching said side wall forming members to the rail, and a pair of cover sections pivotally connected to the outer ends of said side wall forming members.

6. In a weatherproof rail stand for track scales, the combination with the deck struc: ture having an opening therein, a rail stand projecting through said opening and having a rail mounted thereon, of a flashing surrounding said opening, and a cover unit carried by the rail and arranged over said flashing and comprising side wall members and a pair of cover sections pivotally supported at the outer ends of said side wall members, said cover sections having their inner ends adapted to engage with the web of the rail supported on the rail stand.

7. In a weatherproof rail stand for track scales, the combination with the deck structure having an opening therein, and a rail stand projecting through said opening, of a flashing surrounding said opening, a support carried by the rail, said support comprising side wall forming members having rail base receiving recesses and rail engaging clips mounted adjacent said recesses, and hinged cover sections pivotally supported at the outer ends of said side wall forming members.

8. In a weatherproof rail stand for track scales, the combination with the deck structure having an opening and a rail stand projecting therethrough, and a rail carried by said rail stand, of a flashing located at said opening and a cover unitcarried by the rail and arranged above said flashing, said cover unit comprising a pair of side wall forming members arranged transversely of and beneath the rail base, attaching clips carried by said side wall forming members and having means for engaging with the base flanges of the rail, and cover sections pivotally connected with the outer ends of said side wall forming members and having upper inclined roof portions provided with downturned edge flanges and spanning all the distance between and overlapping the side wall forming members thereby to provide a closed cover extending from the web of the rail downwardly and outwardly beyond the said flashing.

9. In a weatherproof rail stand for track scales, the combination with the deck structure having an opening and the rail stand projecting through said opening and a rail mounted on said stand, of a flashing surrounding said opening, and a cover unit carried by the rail stand beneath the rail and including hinged cover sections adapted to open outwardly away from the rail stand.

10. In a weatherproof rail stand for track scales, the combination with the deck structure having an opening and the rail stand projectin through said opening and a rail mounted on said stand, of a flashing surrounding said opening, and a cover unit carried by the rail stand and located above said flashing, said cover unit comprising a support suspended from the rail stand and cover sections hinged to said support and adapted to move outwardly away from said rail stand.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOHN XVILSON ORROCK. 

